Are You Living Your Life

How do you define health? Some people view health as having six pack abs and toned features, or getting the most likes on social media.  Some even consider health to be fictional because they do not believe it is possible for them.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, health is defined as “the condition of being well or free from disease.” 

Everyone's definition of health differs from the next person's.

I consider health to be my quality of life. Health is being able to walk up and down the stairs without struggling to catch my breath. It is knowing that if I fall, then I can get back up. Health is waking up pain free and having the ability to get in and out of basic shapes like a squat to pick something up. It's being there for my family, my friends and my significant other.  Health is being able to participate in activities knowing that my risk of injury is low because I practice injury preventative measures.

Health is not how many sets you do at the gym or buying the newest protein to mix in your shaker. Yes, you can better your health by exercising and eating a well-balanced diet, but remember health isnot a number. It cannot be calculated nor compared.  Health is being your version of the best you. 

Health is life, and living it in a way that treats your body with proper nutrition and conditioning in order to achieve a better quality of life, so that you can walk your daughter down the aisle at her wedding, or bend down to pick up your grandson.

Living a life healthy is attainable and sustainable. Are you living it? 

Yoga & Pilates vs Strength Training

Yoga and Pilates are great forms of exercise that have many health benefits. I've practiced both throughout my career in health and fitness. I'm not going to attack either of those methodologies because I see value in both. But way too often I hear terrible claims and marketing ploys that mislead people. 

"Yoga gives you long lean muscles."

"Pilates will lengthen your muscles and give you that tone you want."

I feel as if people have the notion that Yoga and Pilates do something special to your muscles compared to plain old resistance training. It's as if Yoga and Pilates gives the physique of a dancer and resistance training gives the physique of a bulky bodybuilder. But the truth is these claims are false. 

In order for you to understand that those claims are false I have to explain a little anatomy and physiology. But in its simplest form because I don't want to bore you. 

Muscles have a fixed origin and insertion. In other words, they start somewhere and end somewhere else. Aside from surgery, these attachment points cannot change. 

It would seem that basic static stretching would be the best way to lengthen muscles. Yet, this is not the case. Stretching will indeed help you achieve greater joint range of motion, but it does not do so by actually lengthening the muscle. It works by decreasing the brain’s perception of a threat and “releasing the brakes,” so you can stretch a muscle further than normal. Stretching works on the nervous system to increase “stretch-tolerance.”

Common sense would say that the more intense the exercise, the greater its effect on total body fat loss. This is true. Higher intensity exercise is more effective at reducing total body fat compared to lower intensity exercise. The purpose of Yoga and Pilates is not to exert the greatest amount of effort or burn the highest number of calories possible during the session. Both combine exercises and poses with other tactics aimed at centering the body and improving mental state. Some of which include breathing, meditation, and flow. Yoga and Pilates sessions can indeed be intense. But if your approach is to exhaust yourself then you’re missing the point. When lifting weights you can crank up the intensity as high as tolerable, which lead to greater caloric expenditure and fat burning long term.

Progressive resistance training does a better job of promoting lean muscle than Yoga or Pilates. Over time this will lead to greater changes in body composition. Thus, resistance training is better suited for leaning out the body and reducing body fat stores than Yoga or Pilates.

You do not have to choose between resistance training, Yoga, or Pilates. If you enjoy all of them, you can do all three throughout the week. Yoga and Pilates are effective forms of exercise with many positive attributes with regards to health. If you desire long, lean muscles, lifting weights in the gym will get you there faster than Yoga or Pilates. Yoga and Pilates will build muscle and reduce fat, but they won’t do it as efficiently as resistance training. It’s time we put an end to misleading marketing tactics and stick to the science.

References
Weppler, C. H. (2010, March). Increasing Muscle Extensibility: A Matter of Increasing Length or Modifying Sensation? Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association. Retrieved from http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/90/3/438.long

Treat Your Self

Have you ever gotten off work and had a really long day and thought to yourself, “I am going to treat myself to a beer and wings tonight because I deserve it?"

Don't lie because I have been in your shoes.

I use to "treat myself" to an occasional brownie sundae after accomplishing something major in my life. Well, that occasional brownie sundae became more of a weekly thing because I had this mindset of "treating myself."  This mindset is used all over social media, in our homes, in our schools, and in our gyms.

Why?!?

I'll tell you.

For many Americans, we have the idea that self-indulgence is an act of starting a diet and eating so well that day that we have a need to "treat" ourselves.  We even might have had a stressful day so we need to consume something that tastes good and makes us happy, right? We justify treating our bodies like crap because we truly believe we deserve it!!

I hear it every day. We have turned eating into a treat and an excuse to not properly feed our bodies. We find every excuse to "treat" ourselves, but what are we treating? We are treating feelings and emotions. We aren’t treating our bodies correctly. We aren’t treating anything for that matter, only causing things.

WE ARE CAUSING OBESITY, DIABETES, PHYSICAL PAIN, HEART DISEASE, etc.

What's wrong with this picture? We have made every excuse in the world to decide to treat ourselves like we mean nothing. When did taking care of our bodies become a joke? Social media has created an outlet to feed into this belief by making memes about doing a workout then eating like garbage after.

WHY DON'T WE MATTER ANYMORE? We place a higher value on the foods and drinks we want to consume without a second thought about our health. We neglect our bodies and the organs in it which allow us to have life.

I'm not saying you cannot indulge in something that you like to eat. I am saying to be mindful of what you eat and practice moderation. It's not bad to enjoy the food you eat but in today's world we have taken the true meaning out of food and made it into something that is really harming us.  We have put such an emphasis on how the food tastes regardless of its fat, sodium, sugar, artificial ingredients, and overall calorie content. 

FOOD IS FUEL. EAT WITH PURPOSE AND NOT FOR PLEASURE.

"Treat yo self" by treating your body properly by giving it the proper nutrients it needs in order to prevent causing a potential life threatening disease in the long term.

WE NEED TO "CHECK OURSELVES" BEFORE WE "WRECK OURSELVES" because our bodies deserve better.

Why Diet Gangs Are Bad

Often when I have conversations with someone they ask me, “What kind of diet do I follow?” As if I am supposed to label the kind of nutrition I consume. Well my friends I have something important to tell you. Save your breath if we haven’t had the ‘nutrition talk’ yet. I do not belong to any type of pigeonhole. 

I respect many different nutritional frameworks because I feel that many of them have much to offer. There is always something to learn from the different perspectives. But labeling myself as one or the other implies that I’m restricted to something. 

I see this type of branding when people ‘feel’ they have plateaued or stalled progress. I’m often told, “I’m going gluten free because I haven’t lost any weight in a month.” “I read that eating too much protein is bad so I’m going vegan to help me lose weight.” “I’m allergic to processed food so I’m going paleo.”

Why do we do this? 

I don’t think we understand that placing ourselves in a nutritional niche is powerful. They may make us feel like we fit in, and that feeling helps us commit, which is good... at first. But these labels can also make us barricade ourselves from different ideas and possibilities, which is bad. 

Attaching to a label takes out your ability to practice critical thinking. 

So, if you say "I'm paleo" or if your bio contains the acronym of your special diet, then what you're really saying is, "I define myself by what goes in my mouth, and I prefer to connect with people who eat how I eat." Again, it's all about fitting in and feeling like part of a club.

But why not be a person who's smart enough to try different things and assess the results? You don't need a label to do that. Be open to the possibility that more than one dietary strategy will work. And your commitment to it doesn't have to become your identity.

Examine different nutritional constructs. Even the ones you're skeptical about. Test them with honest intentions. Make room in your nutritional toolbox so that you can pull from it for the rest of your life. Be about the results, not the labels.

I'm Fine

How are you?  How’s your day going?  How was work?  Most of the time these questions are asked to people we know or to a stranger taking our order.  The response is usually the same, “I’m fine.”  I cannot tell you how many time I hear the words “I’m fine” constantly throughout the day.  We as a nation have grown accustom to this phrase, which now lacks meaning. 

The term “I’m fine” is so submissive and vague.  I have grown to despise this response because it is so impersonal. 

But are you really fine??
 

In my opinion we as a nation need to wake up and realize that we are not fine.  We have a huge problem that consumes our time and efforts, yet we are so oblivious to this issue.  The issue is a lack of consideration for our own lives.  We focus so much on being successful and working long hours to make money in order to get that dream house or spend money on pointless things that are not benefiting us as a people.  We put efforts into watching TV and eating fast food because we need to relax from a busy day, and we are too tired to cook or go exercise.  

We have developed and adapted to lazy habits.  
 

What people do not seem to care about is devoting time into themselves on a health stand point.  We are blinded by our own lazy desires that we cannot see what the lack of consideration for our own well-being is doing to us.  

Did you know that the number one cause of death in America is CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD)?  The Center of Disease Control and Prevention stated that "heart disease kills 614,348 people every year."  So that means that "1 in every 4 people have died from this disease."  This is an insane amount of people.  The sad thing is that it could have been prevented.  

Some of you may ask, what causes CVD? 

• Atherosclerosis is a buildup of fatty plaques in your arteries. Plaque buildup thickens and stiffens artery walls, which can inhibit blood flow through your arteries to your organs and tissues."
• "Atherosclerosis is also the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. It can be caused by correctable problems, such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking."

We can prevent these by becoming more active and eating a well-balanced diet.  

Our increase in obesity has directly affected the rise in people who suffer from CVD. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention says:

• “Most Americans More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese.
• Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.”

I do not take CVD kindly because I have an autoimmune disease involving the thyroid.  My disease labels me as "High Risk" for developing cardiovascular disease just because of the condition I was diagnosed with at the age of 11 years old.

There are several risk factors for CVD that may consider you for low or moderate risk:
•    Family History
•    Age
•    Sedentary lifestyle
•    Hypertension
•    Smoking
•    High LDL
•    Low HDL
•    Dylipdemia

High Risk individuals will have a cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal or metabolic disease. 

When are we going to wake up and realize that the thing that is killing our population the most is something that we can prevent??? 
 

The most common preventative measure is taking some form of medication that lowers their blood pressure and cholesterol.  Why spend so much money on doctor’s visits and pills to cover up the problem, instead of actually finding the solution. 

The solution is simple: exercise and nutrition.  

We are too lazy to realize this fact.  So when someone asks you how you are… and you say “I’m fine,” you are lying to yourself and to your loved ones.

“I’M FINE” is the most simple and basic response, yet it’s the most terrifying.

WE ARE NOT FINE.  WE NEED TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF OUR ACTIONS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR HEALTH.

STOP the prescription and learn about real prevention.

What is emotional eating?

Are you hungry? How how often do you think about food during your day? 

Hunger is something vicious to manage. Have you ever asked yourself if you are emotionally hungry or physically hungry?

Eating is not just about eating. You eat because you are hungry of course. But you also indulge when you're bored, lonely, tired, angry, frustrated, and even happy. 

There is a difference between hunger and appetite. Hunger is physiological. It is a signal from the body. When you start to hear your stomach grumble then that is a physical sign that it is time to eat. The hunger gets a little more aggressive when you start to hear that growling in the stomach. When you are physically hungry, you are open to options as to what food or combination of foods will please you.

Appetite is psychological. It is a craving for certain foods without the feeling of hunger accompanying it. Psychological hunger is not caused by an actual physical pain or need for food to survive. Psychological hunger comes from a desire to eat either out of habit, because you see good food around you, because you are emotional or upset, or because it tastes good and is “fun.” Have you ever noticed that when you eat dessert at the end of a meal, you aren’t physically hungry for it … but you still eat it? You may even feel full … but you still eat it.  This desire to eat something sweet after a meal, almost as though you aren’t finished unless you have that sweet thing, is a form of psychological hunger.

The idea that you can diet by ignoring your psychological hunger underestimates the power that your mind exerts over your actions. Instead of seeing the aesthetic goals you have in written down, you see the intensity of your psychological hunger increasing until it is too difficult to deny. 

How do you control psychological hunger?

First you must recognize the difference between your physical hunger and psychological hunger. Look for triggers to your psychological hunger and develop strategies to either limit your exposure to these triggers or come up with alternative behaviors for dealing with them. Mental toughness is an illusion and a limited resource.

Unmet emotional needs, stress, anger, depression, boredom and simple habit can cause psychological hunger to spiral out of control.

Here are some of the principles I have lived by that help me and the individuals I guide down this journey.
1) Plan your meals at least the day before. Prepare your meals and snacks the night before.
2) Always have something healthy to eat within arm’s reach or a short walk to the fridge.
3) Keep tempting foods out of the house/office until your self awareness improves. When you find yourself sad, anxious, stressed, or bored, seek social support or exercise. Both provide mood benefits and are positive actions to take.
4) Work on becoming more mindful and accepting of your emotions as they are.

Practice basic mindfulness skills like scanning your body to notice any feelings. Observe and describe where and how you feel those emotions. Allow yourself to sit with them without trying to change them or make them go away. See if you can imagine making room for them and allowing them to come and go naturally. Learn this skill well and you can step out of the emotional eating carousel almost entirely.

Finally, you can learn to measure the long term cost of emotional eating. 

Have you ever noticed that after you have had that bag of chips you don't quite feel that sense of relief anymore? The short term comfort you get from eating is replaced by guilt or shame soon after. This can become a vicious cycle.  If you feel guilty or shameful about what you ate, and you want to feel better right now, guess what. Food is there for you again. And the cycle continues. You may experience stress from a difficult day at work, but now you added shame to that. That’s a big cost, and the cost shows up because you said that you have to change the state of mind you are experiencing. So there is a cost to being unwilling to feel what we feel. It has long term health implications if your primary coping strategy is eating. Practice bringing this cost to your awareness. Get to a place where you say, “If I eat this cake now I will feel better for a short time and then worse later on and I will also have harmed my health a little.” 

The goal isn’t to make the healthy choice every time. The goal is to make it a choice, as opposed to automatically eating. Over time perhaps you start choosing health more. 

Failed Success

Have you ever gone to the gym and started your workout routine and felt like not being there or something just felt off? Maybe you were tired that day. Maybe you didn’t eat enough. Maybe you were just simply having an off day.  

That was me today.

I walked in the gym with my head phones on with my music bumping through the speakers.  I was ready to begin my leg workout. I got through my warm up with ease.  I even did well on my first two sets of barbell squats but as the weight got heavier my body was not responding well.  My last sets were brutal.  My body felt so weak, I was distracted, I was tired and hungry. My form was suffering from my body’s inability to get with the program! I kept trying to correct my form but my mind and body were fighting against each other.  

Why is this soooo frustrating!?!

I know a lot of people have asked the same question! The gym can make you feel feelings that you don’t like feeling.  Some of you have probably experienced this many times when going to the gym.

Before, when the sense of frustration came over me, I would just leave the gym because my workout was completely “ruined.”  I became unmotivated and discouraged.  How in the heck are you supposed to get excited after failing during a set?? Now that I have more experience, I will tell you a little secret… you don’t.  If you really want to succeed at something nothing will stop you.  You get up and try again.  So after a “failure” you have to brush off the bad reps and sets, and you move on.  It took me a little bit to let my failures go.  I wanted to go back and redo them because they weren’t good enough.  But that’s what lifting and exercise is about. Learning that it’s okay to fail or to have a bad lift or rep because you learn from it.  

So, you failed.  When you fail, you don’t just accept it, you stay and fight for it.  

Failure is part of the process that will lead you to success. 
Failure is essential.  
Failure is vitality.  

After my failed attempt at my last set of squats, I prepared for the next exercise.  I dwelled on my squats for a few seconds and reminded myself that I had an entire workout left, and I could not let a few bad repetitions ruin the rest of my workout.  My coach told me to think of each repetition as being one step closer to my goal and to not waste a rep.  Today, I felt like I had done the opposite of what my coach advised me but some days you just have an off day.  I finished the rest of my workout with my head held high and a big smile because I did not allow the first part of my workout stop me from finishing strong.

Your exercise success isn’t about how well you do on the days you feel 100 percent or the days where you killed your workout.  No, exercise success is about how you fight and claw your way back to a place where your mentally prepared to attack the next exercise regardless of any flaw or failure.  Your success is determined by your grind and getting through the mental aspects of FAILING. 

In my many years of exercising, I can tell you that I have experienced this feeling quite a few times, but I have just recently learned how truly beneficial it is to fail. 

FAIL, FAIL AGAIN, FAIL YOUR HEART OUT!! KEEP FAILING UNTIL YOU SUCCEED. 

Eating Breakfast Doesn't Make You Slim

Did you grow up hearing the old adage, “Break your fast with a healthy breakfast?” Or what about, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” 

If you are like me then you probably asked, "Where did all this come from?" 

I never studied any of these ‘principles’ in textbooks nor have I seen them in any studies that prove that you have to eat oatmeal, eggs and toast for breakfast or some miraculous shake every day to attain a body that society deems as ‘slim’. 

The notion that breakfast is essential for good health dates back to the 1920s. During that time, Edward Bernays, a public relations consultant for a pork company, created a nationwide media campaign to encourage the comfort food first thing in the morning was a recipe for wellness. Even scientist got on board. In the following decades there were numerous observational studies that consistently found that people who ate breakfast weighed less. Studies like this got twisted, misconstrued and eventually made into principles that medical professionals, nutritionist, and fitness trainers taught to the public. 

There is an inherent problem with this. Correlation doesn’t always mean causation. These observational studies merely showed a correlation between eating breakfast and being leaner. However, the study did not show that eating breakfast caused people to be leaner. 

The big picture is often forgotten. None of the studies showed what's under the surface. 

Maybe the individuals in the study that woke up in the morning and had breakfast displayed lifestyle habits that are conducive to having a healthy body composition. They could have had habits like moving more throughout the day or exercising on a regular basis. Or they may have prepared there meals for the day and stayed away from trans fats and refined sugar. 

Recent controlled studies have randomly divided people into breakfast-eating and breakfast- skipping groups. The evidence clearly showed that eating breakfast is not the cause of staying trim. 

So much for the egg whites and oatmeal or meal replacement shake weight loss connection. Nonetheless, while it doesn't seem to be a necessity for good health, there's nothing wrong with eating a nutritious breakfast every morning. But let it be something you like to do and not because it will help you lose 5 pounds by Friday. Whether you want your coconut flour pancakes at 5am or 7pm. The result will be the same. Health is not black and white and we need to stop living in those extremes. 

So we can now put that myth to rest. 

Do You Need To Detox To Be Healthy

I had an encounter with an individual that told me she cannot start an exercise program until she did a cleanse. She would have her last bad meal and then make mindful nutrition choices after the detox program she saw online.

Detoxification is growing increasingly popular.  Somewhere along the line, some well-meaning naturopath and herbalist got the idea that our bodies needed periodic cleanings. The basic premise is that your body accumulates more toxins in the modern world than its natural detoxification system (your liver, kidneys and lungs) can get rid of. The naturopath and the herbalist recommended we occasionally refrain from eating solid foods and instead quaff unappetizing blends of kale, celery, and turnip to purge ourselves of these toxins.

Companies that create products that propose detoxification is absolutely necessary say that chemicals from pesticides, chlorine, bleach and ammonia, and carbon monoxide build up over time and cause disease.

In my early 20’s I promoted a company that and distributed products that supported a detoxification program. They had some science to back it up and I wanted to help people the best way I knew how. The great part was that the products did work and I was so happy to see people's lives changing for the better. But I also started to see that 'detox' became a fad word for "have a crappy weekend and detox on Monday." In my heart I knew that maybe there was a better process. A way where people would learn how to make mindful choices and not rely on a detox to solve all their problems. It was nothing against the company that I promoted, it was me growing as a professional and wanting go a different route. 

One of the worst things that you can do for your body in terms of detoxification is doing a fast. Fasting deprives the liver of amino acids (cysteine, glutamine, glycine) that are important to this natural detox process. Likewise, amino acids make toxins more water soluble, which allows them to be eliminated through bile.

Americans tend to have diets that lead to constipation and or less frequent bowel movements. A change in nutritional habits can accomplish the same thing as many herbal detoxification products that are just laxatives.

People are supposed to have one or two bowel movements a day. But many people go two or three days between eliminations. The normal pathway for toxins to move out of the body is through the liver. The liver converts harmful chemicals into water soluble molecules that can be flushed out in the urine or feces. Those toxins remain in your system longer if there is a delay in elimination.

Your skin is another major organ of elimination, but many people do not sweat on a regular basis. Which is an issue in itself.

Well how does a person give their body the ability to cleanse itself the correct way. 

You need to establish a healthy lifestyle and dietary habits first.  Switch your focus and build a reserve that your body can draw on to allow your liver to do its job. 

Failing to do this can overwhelm your liver's ability to process the toxic substances that are being eliminated.  You could disable your bodies defense system (Immune System) if you started a detox system without establishing healthy patterns first. It could lead you down a path of sickness and wishing you had never done the detox in the first place. I have seen this happen many times, so please use caution and evaluate your current state of health before embarking on any kind of detoxification program.

Highway To Health

Have you ever been driving or walking down a road and have no idea where you are or which way to go? The feeling of getting lost is not a new concept; it happens to us all. Thank goodness for the invention of the GPS.  Without it I would have a more difficult time trying to figure out which way will get me where I want to go. I had the same feeling when I first started resistance training a 7 years ago.  

When most people join a gym or start on the path to a healthier lifestyle, they have no clue the road that is ahead of them. I have been in your shoes! I remember my first experience in a gym. It was horrible. I had no clue what I was doing, and I definitely didn’t know how to perform the exercises the big muscle guys were doing in the mirrors surrounding me.  I was so intimidated that I just walked on the treadmill.  It took me a while to get more comfortable even walking through the doors at the gym.  I asked questions and observed people.  I took a few classes in college and watched several YouTube videos in order to help me better myself to getting the body I wanted. 

I have learned a lot but even as a personal trainer for 5 years, I still needed guidance to achieving my goals of becoming a bodybuilder and powerlifter. Almost 2 years ago, I made the choice of working with a WebFit online coach to guide me through the information that was overwhelming me. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made.  Like some of you, I did not possess the proper plan to guide me down the correct path to accomplishing my fitness goals.  Before, I took the path of least resistance.  It’s human nature to do so.  For years I tried doing things on my own.  I didn’t know if I was doing anything right… WebFit has directed me through my workouts and meals to ensure that I’m doing the proper things for my body for what I want to achieve.  

I am very stubborn, but I knew I needed WPDS.

What is a WPDS? And why is it important that I use it? A WPDS is an acronym for Webfit Personal Direction Service.  This program is important to guide you through the latest trends, yo-yo diets, and “broscience” information. WebFit is designed to help you understand that having someone to help guide you can lead you down a better path. When you take a detour, we give you the means to get back on track.

Ask yourself these questions. 

Do you know where you are going with your life? 
Do you know how to get where you want to be? 
Do you know where to start? 
Are you unsure if the path you are taking is correct? 

If you are unsure of the path that you are on, know that you are not alone. 

A road without a map is just a road.  But if you have someone to help guide you through the unknown it can allow for better opportunities, less setbacks, a sense direction and faith.  I am not saying that this will be easy.  It will take time, hard work and dedication to create a better version of yourself.  In the end, all the effort that you put into your own health will be well worth it! 

We have faith in you.  Have faith in yourself.

Achieve Your Own Genetic Potential

Throughout my training career I've come across so many people who tell me they have 'bad genetics'. Research shows that genetics do impact our ability to build muscle, lose fat, and display athleticism. We all have issues with genetics that we have to work around. You may be predisposed to carrying excess fat. You may be lean but have stubborn areas of fat deposition which means you hae some trouble areas. Some men have trouble building muscle more than others, and some are muscular but have weak body parts.

No one has perfect genetics!

I've never trained anyone that didn't see any gains in lean muscle tissue or some loss in body fat. It may not come at the rate they want it at but there has always been visible changes. Some people respond best to variety, some to volume, some to intensity, some to frequency, and some to density. You have to discover the best stimuli for your body, which will evolve over time.

How you go about achieving your best self is where I see the divide. There is one thing I want to debunk that might help you continue to achieve your genetic potential. 

Lie: Train for performance and strength, don't worry about looks.
Truth: Train for whatever will make you stay consistent. 

I choose to do both powerlifting and bodybuilding because I love having both an objective goal and aesthetic goal. Powerlifting gives me an opportunity to be competitive in an objective sport while bodybuilding gives me the space to improve on my physique goals. But I will be a bodybuilder until my time has expired because I love everything it encompasses. I just can't stare in the mirror 24/7 so I need something that will motivate me in other ways to keep improving. 

Having a goal outside of aesthetics does the mind good because it gives you something to look at instead of just being negative Nancy in the mirror on a daily basis. But I want to make something clear. If you lift regularly, you've earned the ability to choose your goals, no matter how frivolous they seem to others. But don't fantasize about looking better when you can't get your butt to set aside at least 30 minutes a day to exercise. 

When attempting to achieve your own genetic potential I believe it is best to set out for objective goals such as strength, timed event, circumference measurements, etc. But if looking better, feeling better and being comfortable in your skin is important to you then please continue to allow that to be the bigger picture. 

Think of it as the corkscrew method. Instead of going full-bore towards one goal in a linear manner, you're inching closer to it, while gradually strengthening everything else along the way. Like a corkscrew digging deeper into the wine cork, you're hitting other little goals as you get closer to the one that you want to achieve the most, and you're keeping it from becoming all-encompassing.

Why You Should Be Snapping Shameless Selfies

Oh the infamous selfie. You see them everywhere: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest, basically every social media outlet we can think of in today’s society.  It is insane how much the “selfie” has impacted our world.  This is not something experienced in just the U.S. but in every country. The “selfie” has globally connected us in ways I never knew to be possible.

Usually, I would go on and on about how self-centered and egotistical people are who take selfies, but I have had the opportunity to see just how much selfies can impact someone’s life.

I will use myself as an example.  

I have been working out my entire life.  First I was a gymnast, then I transitioned into resistance training. Several years have passed since I began this journey and now the way you track progress is a lot better.  I can use “selfies” to see changes in my body from week to week in order to determine how my nutrition is impacting my body as well as areas I need to develop more in the gym.  The “selfie” has forever benefited and changed my life for the better.

If we look back before camera phones were invented, then we would find other way ways of obtaining objective information to judge progress with our bodies.  These ways included: circumference measurements, waist to hip ratio, bioelectrical impedance, weight scale, BMI calculations, etc.  The progression of technology and the creation of the “selfie” has developed another way for us to track progress.  Using a “selfie” along with the other types of tracking mechanisms, can truly show how our bodies are changing as a whole. 

I encourage others to embrace in taking a “shameless selfie” for themselves in order to see physical changes in a photo and compare them from weeks and months prior to starting a weight lifting program or a nutrition plan.  The changes that you see will be more impactful and rewarding than looking at yourself in the mirror on a daily basis.  If you rely on glancing in a mirror every day, then you will be left with the subjective opinion of what you are "feeling" that day. And you know your feelings change like wind direction.  Only a “selfie” can capture your progression in the mirror.  

My clients always tell me that they regret not taking selfies while they were in the midst of their journey of losing body fat. I urge you to lose that fear of the unknown. The “selfie” can boost your confidence even when your body might not look exactly the way you want it to at that very moment.  

The shameless selfie can be considered as motivation to see how far you have come in your fitness and health journey.

KEEP THE SELFIES COMING! BE TRUE AND BE YOU!

The WebFit Games

What are you doing for the next 21 days?!?  

WebFit Nation is challenging you to join us for our WebFit Games 21 Day Contest! We want to put the FUN back into FITNESS while adding a little competition.

What does this 21 day challenge entail?

The next 21 days will encourage you to get more involved with your journey towards a healthier you! There is a lot of misleading and contradicting information online, but we want to be able to help you fight this battle and offer a solution to getting proper information that will guide you down the right path – and why not have a little fun doing it???  We will be tracking points based off submissions on workout and meal feedbacks, referrals and social media posts and tags. Did I mention a prize? Scroll down to learn more!
 

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

WHEN?

•    Start Date: Monday, August 1, 2016
•    End Date: Monday, August 22, 2016

HOW DO I EARN POINTS?

•    Submit Workout Feedback: 1 point
•    Submit Meal Plan: 1 point
•    Social Media Tagging (Post or comment that mentions WebFit or a WebFit Trainer)
    -   Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat: 2 points
   * We must be tagged in the post and mentioned so we can engage with you and track your points accurately. 
•    Social Media Sharing (Any post, blog, or picture shared to your social media that tags WebFit or a WebFit Trainer)   
    -   Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat: 2 points
 * We must be tagged in the post and mentioned so we can engage with you and track your points accurately. 
•    Refer A Friend That Fills Out Our Form On Our Website: 5 points
•    Inspire A Friend To Sign Up: 10 points

PRIZES.. Say What?!?

•    1st Place Winner will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card
•    2nd Place Winner will receive a FitMark Meal Prep Bag
 

WHO CAN WIN?

Anyone who wants to participate can join WebFit Games. You do not have to be a WebFit client in order to join this awesome challenge. 

Sign Up Below!

Why Has Human Movement Has Gone Downhill?

For nearly 200,000 years, Homo sapiens spent the majority of their time on the move. If they wanted something to eat, they had to hunt for it or dig it up out the ground. If they wanted to travel, they had to get there by foot. 

That sort of movement sounds exhausting to us now. 

BREAKING NEWS: OUR BODIES ARE BUILT FOR MOVEMENT AND MOVEMENT KEEPS OUR BODIES HEALTHY.

In a study done in 2014 at Arizona State University it was reported that Americans today spend an average of 13 hours a day sitting.

When we sit for long periods the muscles in our lower body literally turn off and become inactive. We stop utilizing critical muscles and connective tissue that stabilize the trunk and the spine. All sorts of problems result from this compromised body function. Things like carpel tunnel, neck and back issues and pelvic floor dysfunction. 

The Centers of Disease Control reports that we are spending 75 cents of every health care dollar on chronic conditions linked to sedentary behavior, like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain affects 8 of 10 people in their lifetime, and it is the leading cause of disability world wide. In the United States we spend almost 1 billion treating back pain and 20 billion in employer cost treating carpel tunnel annually. 

Your body has a canny way of adapting to poor positions. If you sit and allow your back to round forward or arch backward your tissues and joints will sort of cast around that posture. This will make it increasingly difficult for you to get into better positions later. 

Often times I hear people saying exercise is the cure. Unfortunately, they are wrong. 

Let's walk through this together. If you take 10,000 steps a day (the usual recommendation all the fitness tracking active people use) which is 70,000 thousand steps in a week. In 10 years that is 36 million steps. Imagine for a moment that every one of those steps were taken with poor mechanics. Let's say you took every one of those steps walking like a duck, or your arch collapses. The body can handle a great deal of stress but eventually the system breaks down. 

You can't outwork bad habits.

How do we fix this? Physical therapist and best selling author Dr. Kelly Starrett is someone whom I look up to and he laid out some neat bullet points in his most recent book, "Deskbound." He has been studying this phenomenon for over 20 years and here are some of the great points he made in his book. 

1. Reduce optional sitting in your life.
Switch to a standing desk if you can. Even if you work in a cubicle equipped with a built in desk you can throw a couple boxes on top of the desk. If this is not an option then try ways to stand rather than sit during leisure time. Instead of watching tv on the couch, watch it on the floor and stretch while you catch up on your favorite shows.

2. For every 30 minutes that you are desk bound, move for at least 2 minutes. 
Even if it is just a stroll around the office. Moving will help. 

3. Prioritize position and mechanics whenever you can.
You were not a great driver the first time you got behind the wheel. It took practice. We have to look at proper position as good nutrition for the body.

4. Perform 10-15 minutes of daily maintenance on your body. 
Like brushing your teeth, self maintenance will be more effective if you commit to a daily practice. Your muscles didn't get tight overnight. It took years of moving incorrectly and ignoring your tissue restrictions that leave you feeling like a complete mess. 

You may need to relearn how to stand, how to sit and walk properly again. There is a positive upside to this work you are going to put in. Imagine being pain free and being able to move again like when you were a child. What will your life look like with no pain?

We must stand up to a sitting world. 

Are You In The "Friend Zone?"

As a coach and a frequent gym goer, I have seen a lot that goes on in the gym.  From the cardio junkies to the lifters, from the mirror hog to the modest guy wearing a hoodie. The one thing that really bothers me is the fact that most of the people in the gym are there to socialize and do not take the gym very seriously.  

For example, I was in the gym the other day doing some squats in the racks when this guy in the squat rack next to me was on the phone talking to someone throughout his workout.  He would put the weight on the bar and stop to check himself out in the mirror in front of him, while lifting is shirt and flexing his abs.  I thought to myself “dude for real… people who actually are here to lift cannot use the rack you are on because you are so busy talking on the phone and looking at yourself…. Grow up and be respectful of other people’s time.” 

When did going to the gym to talk become more important than working out? 

In my opinion the gym is where bodies are sculpted and skills are mastered, but in today’s world the gym is considered a “trend” or a local hot spot where you can hit on people or judge others. 

Gym goers have now “FRIEND ZONED” the gym.  

People have this concept in their head that buying workout clothes and going to the gym will make them “fit,” when that is simply not the case.  That is a very lazy way to think about it.  The reason why I used the term “friend zone” is simple, people want to be physically fit and look like an Instagram model without devoting their time and energy into an actual relationship with the gym or a healthy lifestyle. 

The lesson to learn here is that in order to achieve the results you want you have to change your mindset of how you view your health.  The gym is meant for so much more than socializing.  It’s meant for therapy, perfecting crafts, boosting confidence, reaching goals, competition preparation, etc.

The “fit life” is more than just wearing the proper workout clothes and going to the gym; it is taking to time to meal prep and maintaining consistent behaviors with nutrition and workouts.  Its challenging yourself and creating a healthier and better lifestyle. 

Most people go to the gym yet treat themselves to a nice pizza and a cold beer after a workout because they deserve it. STOP THAT.  Treating your body and devoting your life to a relationship with the gym and your nutrition is the only way to see the results you want. 
Most people tell me their reasoning for working out is to be able to eat what they want and still look good.  This reasoning is extremely common and shows the lack of dedication to their bodies.  They placed their health in the “friend zone.” Just because you workout doesn’t mean you are in a relationship with your health. 

Focusing on your health and growing into a better relationship with your body is more than a gym workout, it is adjusting eating habits to healthier ones.  A workout is only 30 percent of how you look.  What you eat and the portions you give yourself are 70 percent… 70 PERCENT of how your body responds to exercise and how long and effective your results are.

Fitness and health are an act of appreciation for your body.  Let’s stop abusing our bodies and coming up with excuses to not treat ourselves correctly.

Stop “friend zoning” your health and start transforming it into a relationship.

No Pain No Gain = Lies

We are in this era where working to reach your goals should rank a level 10 on the pain scale. I was having a conversation with a client that wanted to lose 100lbs. He told me that the only workouts that have worked for him in the past are workouts that made him so sore he couldn't get out of bed the next day. 

Myth: If the workout isn't debilitating then it's not working. 
That is so far from the truth.

Social media has perpetuated the idea that unfit people have to go into extremes to transform their bodies. Think about it with me for a second. 

"Sweat is just fat crying."
"It's not working until it's hurting."
"If you aren't sore the next day then you didn't work hard enough."
"The workout didn't start until you puke or fall down in exhaustion."
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."

These types of things are great for TV and get good ratings on shows that promote weight loss but they absolutely suck in real world application. Unfit individuals think this is what they'll actually have to do to lose weight and get healthy. It's why so many hesitate to start and often never start. I know if it stood true that I'd have to be all or nothing I would walk away. I would stay on the couch If I had a coach who told me the only way to get results is to have such an agonizing workout that I would need medical attention to get the results I wanted. 

If you've ever tried a WebFit workout then you will know that they are appropriate. There will be more times that you tell me you can do more than I prescribed than you telling me you had to throw up half way during the workout. Good coaches know how to scale for each individual client. 

Weight loss shows miss the opportunity to teach participants and viewers about rewarding workouts that build muscle and the metabolic advantage that comes along with them. 

Body composition is the ratio of lean body mass to fat mass. As you build muscle, your body composition improves. As you lose fat, your body composition improves. 

You become a leaner person.

But if you build muscle at the same time you're losing fat, the scale may take its time going down, and it may even momentarily stay the same. Does that mean that you're making zero progress? Absolutely not.

But guess what, sustainable progress doesn't gain popularity or viewers.

Who You Should Look Out For In Your Gym

Through the years I have seen all types of people in the gym. I've worked in almost every corporate gym there is and saw almost all gym personalities you can think of. 

I came up with the 5 people that you should respect in your gym. 

1) Women Who Go Hard
The free weight area is no longer for "meat heads and bodybuilders". Now you will go over there and see women lifting just as hard and just as much as some men. They often train harder and smarter than the guys and have all the developed muscle to prove it. "You train like a girl" has become a compliment these days. I know women who are pound for pound stronger than most men that I train and 10 years ago that was unheard of. 

2) Overweight People
They have overcame some tough obstacles to make it through the front door. For that, they deserve all the support we can give them. Being in a gym is far outside of the comfort zone for someone struggling with weight related issues. If you are in a place where you have succeeded in meeting your fitness goals then you should be a guiding light for those who are seeking the same. 

3) The Silent Beasts
They often wear clothes that are less revealing to ward off any extra attention. You will find them in baggy clothes but lifting big weights. They keep to themselves, always move around the gym as if they have a strict plan, and always nice when you cross paths. They get in, work hard, and get out. They're always helpful when asked but showing off is just not something that is important to them. 

4) Elderly People
I love love love to see older people working out. They inspire me. I've always had the goal to leave the Earth in the best shape of my life. So whenever I see an individual 80+ in the gym I light up with a smile because I want that to be me. These individuals deserve our utmost respect. These guys and gals rock. You will see them on cardio machines, lifting free weights or utilizing machines. If you have the chance to help them please do. Pray that you get to be one of them someday.

5) Disabled People
Want some motivation? Check out the guy in the wheelchair getting shit done. I remember 4 years ago I worked in a corporate gym and would see a middle aged man come to the gym in a wheelchair daily and work his tail off. He would get the wheel chair right next to the machine and lift himself out of his chair and on to the machine. I saw that same man compete in a wheel chair bodybuilding competition. Talk about inspiring. 
Now take a look at the woman with her arm in a sling doubling up on lower body work. She looks past what she can't do and makes a plan around what she can do. That is resilience. 

You will see all sorts of people in the gym. Be on the look out for these 5 different types and show them the respect that they deserve.

But remember to treat everyone like you wish to be treated. 

Are You Ready To Cut Calories?

Understand that anyone can lose weight for a time, but done the wrong way they run the risk of gaining it back. Think about the contestants on one of the biggest weight loss shows ever, "The Biggest Looser." Of course you have seen the countless times that articles came out showing a high percentage of weight regain. Sometimes they regained more body fat than what they started with. 

Unfortunately, we have a flawed way of thinking about weight loss. But I'm going to clear up some of the confusion a bit. 

There are two things required for sustained, lasting fat loss.
1. A calorie deficit. 
2. A balanced metabolism.

True weight loss works by gaining a balanced metabolism first. Only then can a reduction in calories happen with the result being weight loss. 

Most weight loss diets teach you the exact opposite. They start off by cutting calories at an extreme rate and call for high amounts of exercise. Yes, you will create a calorie deficit, but you'll also create an unbalanced metabolism. 

Adaptive Thermogenesis is a funky science term to explain how the body likes to stay in balance. This is typically how it would work.  You decided you wanted to lose weight so you take the simple caloric approach and cut your calories by 500 per day through some combination of eating less and exercising more. You stay disciplined and for the first few weeks you are losing weight. Then you start feeling hungry all the time. Your energy falls and becomes less predictable. You start getting late night cravings for salty, fatty and sugary stuff. But you have an iron will, so you suck it up. But now adaptive thermogenesis kicks in. Now you not only stop losing weight, but you may even start gaining it. Not to mention you are awaiting the moment to eat everything in sight because your metabolism is making you crave and desire salty, fatty and sugary foods rich in calories.

At this point you have a few choices. You can grind it out harder on your efforts and make things worse. You could just give up and go back to eating normally, which will cause you to blow up like a balloon. Or you can try to do things a little more intelligently by trying to balance your metabolism first.

Here's what you need to know. 

1. The idea that calorie excess always leads to fat gain and calorie reduction always leads to fat loss is not entirely accurate. 
2. The standard of eat less and exercise more leads to about 20-50% loss of lean tissue. Which is not good for long term fat loss. 
3. Balance the metabolism first. Learn more about food quality and how that effects your metabolism. Hunger, energy and cravings are real and you need to understand how to work with it rather than against it. 

10 Lessons I've Learned In 10 Years Of Being A Coach

Building the body is never as easy as you think it's supposed to be. It'll take much longer than you think it's supposed to. But if you stick with it, the rewards are worth it and the effort can change your life for the better. 

Working harder is rarely the issue when trying to attain a goal. Working smarter and being consistent shows true discipline. 

Watch out for talkers. The fitness industry is flooded with individuals who are experts in academia. They have books, and can give you lectures until they are blue in the face. True masters of the craft practice what they preach as well as carry the book knowledge to explain it well. 

Every training session will not be awesome and leave you exhilarated. 

There is no "best" workout or diet. If someone says that, they are probably selling something. 

Learning how to manage hunger, energy and cravings while consuming all macro & micronutrients is the sweet spot to any good nutritional program. 

Your journey will not be linear. You will encounter a lot of bumps along the way. The ups and downs is what builds grit and teaches you amazing life lessons. 

Exercise is a form of self respect. Be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to respecting the great gift you were given. That gift is the healthy human body. Choose to nourish the body optimally, train the body effectively, and rest properly. So you can carry out your purpose here on earth. Whatever that may be. 

Comparing your journey to someone else's is not fair to you or them. You may not be where you want to be and that is fine. Pushing yourself to consistently evolve is great. But comparisons make you feel superior or inferior. Neither serve a useful purpose. Keep your eyes on your purposeful path and practice gratitude while celebrating progress as it comes. 

I believe health and fitness develops the mind just as much as it does the body. 

Are Abs Made In The Kitchen?

The probability that you have heard this saying is pretty high. It caught steam and it has stuck around for a long time. 

If you have known me long enough we will have already had this conversation and I would have put this to rest already. But many of you are still getting to know me so we might not have had the ab talk just yet. I will give my opinion but I will also give scientific evidence will also show that it is only true to an extent. 

You won't see any visual results from spending 30 minutes a day on abs when you're at 18% body fat. You can do all the abdominal work in the world, but if you're carrying too much fat, you won't see your abs. 

I learned from experience early in my career that it was important to train my core often. It is nice to have defined abs when body fat is low enough for them to show. But it is also important to have a strong core for performance purposes. I saw that the stronger my core got, the stronger I was in general. I could stand for longer periods of time, perform strength lifts with heavier loads, and my lower back never hurt. 

People define the word "core" incorrectly. It's not just your deep spinal stabilizers, abs, and lower back. It's your entire torso minus your arms and legs. 

In 1982, the core of the human body was defined as the muscles that keep the trunk and neck in a tube like form. When your core is firm and rigid, you can do the activities it's intended to do. If the rigidity is enhanced, then you can maximize your athletic performance. This means that the shoulders, chest, glutes, abs, mid-back, and lats are core muscles.

A few studies have taken the position that multi-joint, free-weight exercises such as barbell squats and deadlifts activate "core" muscles better than isolation core exercises.

This led to the belief you shouldn't perform exercises that focus on strengthening your abs and obliques. 

The truth is the common claim that "multi-joint movements like squats and deadlifts are all you need to strengthen your abs and obliques," doesn't make sense. In fact, the common push-up activates the abs and obliques more than squats or deadlifts! That is a fact. 

In theory it's true that the big basics will strengthen the core. But that's only true if your core is functional and if it's not a weak link to start with. But if you can't use your abs properly then they won't receive much stimulation from the big lifts. This is why I start out building the core right away. I'm sure you have seen many "Country Core" workouts and most workouts begin with some type of core movement. 

Balance. I tend to use this word a lot. But it holds so much truth when it comes to this topic. A good balance of training your abs in the most efficient manner and coupling it with proper nutrition is key. Do not get caught up in the hype.